Wot Rocket sets 11-17 Aug as speed assault window

by Lisa Ratcliff on 7 Aug 2008 As Australia's Olympic athletes prepare for the realisation of a four year dream, back home another long held dream is finally taking shape.

Four years ago well known offshore and skiff sailor Sean Langman thought up the concept for a radical design to set a new world speed sailing record and crack the holy grail of 50 knots, regarded as the equivalent to breaking the aeronautical sound barrier.

Following a laborious build and modification program, which has easily swallowed up 3,000 work hours, and three months of sea trials, Wot Rocket's official attempt on the current record is about to get underway on Botany Bay, Sydney.

Australian World Sailing Speed Record Council commissioner John Brooks will be on standby from Monday 11 to Sunday 17 August, the seven day window nominated by the Wot Rocket project team. Each day or some days during the window, depending on the forecast, Brooks will be notified an attempt is going to take place that day and will arrive on site to check the GPS's calibration and ratify the time should Wot Rocket be successful in its record chase.

The current 500m world speed sailing record of 49.09 knots (90.9 kilometres per hour) was set in March in France by French sail boarder Antoine Albeau.

The last time an Australian held this particular record was in 1993 when the asymmetric trimaran called Yellow Pages Endeavour set a then fastest time of 46.52 knots.

The Schedule
Wot Rocket is today being removed from the exhibition hall at Darling Harbour where it was a special attraction at the Sydney International Boat Show.

Over the next two days Wot Rocket will have its systems reinstalled at Noakes at Woolwich before the team, including a new co-pilot, return to Kurnell for final sea trials this weekend.

Former co-pilot Martin Thompson left for an extended overseas holiday early this week. His replacement, likely to be someone already closely associated with Wot Rocket, will be announced shortly.

Long range wether forecast
The long range forecast is promising for this weekend and the first half of next week. Wot Rocket's ideal wind range is 15-20 knots and starting Saturday through to Wednesday next week, Sydney's traditional winter westerlies look like coming to the Wot Rocket party.

Saturday 9 August: WSW-SW/15-20
Sunday 10 August: W/15-20
Monday 11 August: W-WSW/15-20
Tuesday 12 August: SW/20-15-10
Wednesday 13 August: W-WSW/15-20

The Wot Rocket Team
Pilot, creator and sponsor of Wot Rocket Sean Langman, 16 time Rolex Sydney Hobart veteran, most recently as the skipper of the pocket maxi AAPT/Grundig, 49er & 18 foot skiff champion

Co-pilot
TBC

Designer
Andy Dovell, holds a Masters in Naval Architecture & Marine
Engineering & is part of the famous Australian design team Murray Burns
Dovell

Project Manager
Josh Alexander, has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
and is a professional sailor with 10+ years experience with carbon fibre
mast design and construction

Principle sponsor
Graeme Wood, yachtsman and founder of www.wotif.com

Wot Rocket sponsors
Noakes Boat & Shipyards www.noakes.net.au and
Graeme Wood, founder of Australasia's number one accommodation website
Wotif.com www.wotif.com
Nexus www.nexusmarine.se
Warringah Plastics www.warringah-plastics.com.au
Harken www.harken.com
Gurit Australia /www.gurit.com
Superyachting www.superyachting.com